Table leaf support



Aug. 6, 1940. v. H. SOISSON TABLE LEAF SUPPORT Filed Kay 25, 1939 pfjiAYaiQs'son INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 6, 1940 UNITED STATES GFFIQE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a support for drop leaves of tables, one of the objects being to provide a simple but eflicient device easily movable and which, when drawn into operative position,

will support a hinged table leaf firmly in raised position where it will be flush with the main top of the table. 7

A further object is to provide a device of this character which can be installed readily in a table structure and will not easily get out of order.

Another object is to provide a table leaf support which occupies the minimum amount of space when in either of its extreme positions, said support, when not in use as such, being housed out of the way beneath the main table top.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of I certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawing Figure 1 is a vertical section through a portion of a table equipped with the present improvements, drop leaf being shown supported in raised position by the device constituting the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the support and a portion of. the supported drop leaf, adjacent parts of the table structure being shown.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the drop leaf in depending position.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, l designates the main top of a table provided with the usual apron 2 extending therearound, this apron being connected adjacent to one side by a cross-bar 3. Said side of the apron is formed with a slot l extending downwardly thereinto from its top edge and located back from the adjacent edge of the main top I.

A drop leaf 5 is joined to the edge of the top I by means of a suitable number of hinges one of which has been indicated at 6 and when this leaf is not in use it will hang from the top I as shown in Figure 3.

A supporting bar 1, which is preferably rectangular in cross-section, is slidably supported on the cross-bar 3 and when it is in its retracted position, the inner or back end of this supporting bar 1 abuts against a stop strip 8 which extends transversely beneath the table top I while the outer end of the supporting bar 1 projects fromv the slot 4 and is formed in its sides with recesses l by means of which said bar can be gripped readily by the hand and pulled outwardly or thrust backwardly. The width of bar 1 is substantially equal to the width of the slot 4 so that the walls of this $101; thus constitute guides whereby the bar I is maintainedin proper position while being slid into or out of active position.

That portion of the bar extending from its inner end to a point adjacent the center is substantially horizontal at the bottom, its bottom surface being preferably parallel with the top surface of the bar, as indicated at 9. The forward portion of the bar-l hasits bottom surface inclined upwardly and outwardly as at I!) and the bottom wall of slot 4 is inclined as at II to correspond with the pitch of the bottom portion ll) of bar 1.

Thetaper of the forward or outer portion of bar I is'such that when said bar is pulled outwardly within slot 4 from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 1, the inclined bottom portion ill of the bar will ride upwardly on the bottom wall of slot 4 and cause the bar to move bodily upwardly until ultimately it becomes wedged between the bottom wall of slot 4 and the bottom surface of the main top I. When the bar is thus located the projecting portion thereof will be fitted snugly beneath the drop leaf 5 which thus will be held in raised position with its top surface substantially flush with the corresponding surface of the top I, as shown in Figure 1.

When it is desired to lower the drop leaf 5, it becomes necessary merely to push the bar 1 backwardly against the stop strip 8. This will cause the bar to lower gradually until it assumes the position shown in Figure 3 at which time the leaf 5 is free to hang as shown.

Obviously this device is cheap to manufacture and is easily installed. Consequently the cost of constructing a table with a drop leaf and 'a support therefor ismaterially reduced as compared with many structures which have been devised for this purpose.

What is claimed is:

The combination with a table including a main top, of an apron beneath and fixedly mounted relative to the top, said apron having a notch exten ding thereinto from its upper edge, a cross member below and spaced from the top, a stop element below the top, a'drop leaf hingedly connected to one edge of said top beyond one side of the apron, and a supporting bar normally positioned on the bottom wall of the notch in the apron, on the supporting member and against the stop, said bar having a top edge straight from end to end and normally spaced from the main top, said bar having the bottom of one end portion inclined thereby to form a wedge portion seated in the notch, said bar being mounted for sliding movement in one direction to wedge between the bottom wall of the notch and the bottom surface of the main top thereby to support the leaf in line with the main top.

VINCENT H. SOISSON. 

